Coming Soon To A Theater Near You: Clinton Anti-violence Message

The two largest movie theater chains in the Chicago area on Friday will begin showing anti-violence public service announcements featuring President Clinton before all films.

Cineplex Odeon Theaters and Loews/Sony theaters agreed to show the messages after Cook County State's Attorney Jack O'Malley proposed the idea to a representative of the Motion Picture Association of America, O'Malley announced at a news conference Thursday.

Cineplex Odeon Theaters has 48 theaters and Loews/Sony theaters has 14 in the Chicago area.

The ads are part of a national campaign by the White House and the Advertising Council to make adults aware of the damage children suffer when they witness violence in their lives or are victims of it.

One 60-second spot shows Clinton with a 14-year-old 8th-grader from Washington, D.C., who describes seeing a friend shot to death at a dance.

"Fear of violence is robbing our nation's children of their future," Clinton says in the spot. "As a parent, I want this violence to stop, and as your president, I am committed to ending it."

The announcements ask audience members to call 1-800-WE-PREVENT to get a 12-page booklet in the mail that describes 10 steps adults and children can take to prevent violence.

Among the tips: Don't carry weapons; settle arguments with words instead of fists; and work with your neighbors to create areas free of drugs.

The movie industry supports the public service messages, although it hasn't agreed to stop making violent movies, said Vans Stevenson, director of state affairs for the Motion Picture Association of America, a trade organization that represents the major studios.

"It would be very difficult to tell the story of the Holocaust or make a movie about the streets of Chicago without portraying violence," Stevenson said. "What's important is how you portray violence and whether you show the consquences."

The ads are not designed specifically to stop the violence that has occasionally erupted in theaters during the showings of violent films, although this would be a welcome side effect, said Martha Summa, associate director of the Chicago office of the Ad Council.

In January 1992, a 16-year-old suburban girl was killed in gang cross-fire outside a Near North Side movie theater showing the premiere of the inner-city drama, "Juice."

Organizers hope the annoncements will be more effective in theaters because they have a captive audience, Summa said.